The blog contains articles by the author which appear in various newspapers in Kashmir and are also available on the website: www.kashmirfirst.com

Thursday, May 3, 2018

The Rath “Effect”!

(The
success of the new IGP Traffic in partially streamlining the wayward traffic is
result of the “Rath Effect” of instilling accountability badly needed in the
entire administration!)

The new IGP Traffic Basant Rath is in news these
days. By and large, people are appreciating his efforts in trying to streamline
the wayward traffic in the State. There has been an appreciable change.
However, the waywardness of decades cannot be undone in a matter of days. This
is especially so because the problem apart from being steeped in massive
corruption has many other angles to it. The traffic problem does not stem only
from lack of honest supervision in regulation but from a number of other
related issues including those of traffic engineering. The
various causes given for the mess include the disproportionate growth ratio
between roads and vehicles; irrational planning; illegal occupation of foot
paths; irrational transport policy; insufficient parking slots; inadequate
vehicle stands, and so on. It also points out the lack of traffic engineering
measures; inadequate technology; lack of co-ordination among allied agencies,
and above all unplanned urbanisation. However, one of the most important causes
is the lack of traffic sense and mass education about it. Finally, the
unpleasant security scenario restricting free movement on all city roads is
also an important factor.

About 50 years back or so the
population of Srinagar was less than 2 lakhs and now it is almost 15 lakhs.
Those days there were less than a hundred cars in Srinagar and now we have more
than 2 lakh vehicles. Kashmir itself has over a million vehicles. Those days
there were no three wheelers. Now we have all kinds of vehicles of all shapes
and sizes. However, the worst culprits are the departments and organisations
responsible for various civic services. They not only refuse to enforce the
basic criteria of urban development and planning but on the contrary themselves
create intractable problems. The agencies which should have been concerned with
land use, zoning of urban areas, planning and expansion of roads, and
enforcement of various rules and bye laws of town planning are on a spree of
constructing shopping lines, complexes, malls, and other such huge and mega
structures. The plea given is earning of revenue for the state or the
respective organisations. The state as well as the concerned organisations
could very well do without these revenues which never reach their coffers in
full! It would have been better had they performed their primary duty.

The
Roads have been encroached everywhere. In some places almost half of the road
on either side is used by shop-keepers to display their wares. Foot paths are
invariably under illegal occupation forcing pedestrians to walk on the roads
which reduces the space for the vehicle drivers. Most annoying is the double
sided parking on virtually all roads. The driving space gets reduced to
virtually a single lane and causes traffic jams.

Now let us take the topic of traffic
sense and knowledge of rules. The less said about it, the better! Fast lane,
slow lane, zebra crossing, yellow line, double yellow line, and similar other
basic words from the traffic terminology are unknown not only to common public
but even to the traffic constables directing and monitoring the movement of
vehicles on roads and at different crossings. One does not need any technical
or other knowledge of driving to get a licence in Srinagar. It can be safely
delivered at your home provided you have the means and the resources. It does
not matter even if you are a minor. The same holds good for the fitness of
vehicles including their pollution control. One can easily see trucks and buses
running on the roads belching thick black plumes of smoke. Kashmiris are also
very fond of klaxons. In Europe or America people feel slighted if someone
blows a horn at them. These are used in dire emergency or if someone commits a
gross violation of traffic rules. Ordinarily everyone uses light indicators.

Seeing the immensity of the “Traffic
Mess” it seems doubtful if we would be ever able to sort it out. It requires
political will of colossal proportions. It may be better to replace the Traffic
Police by Armed Police. One often observes that the security forces convoys
have always a smooth flow as their men stop all traffic and ensure safe passage
of their vehicles. No one, including even the VIPs’ travelling in Flag cars
dare challenge their writ!

In such a situation, any positive
initiative is welcome. Some people have been criticising the methodology
adopted by Basant Rath. They say it is unconventional and even high-handed.
Well, they say there is a maxim in policing. A gentleman who unintentionally or
even intentionally breaks a law must be approached and handled as a gentleman.
However, a rogue is a rogue and needs to be handled as such! These days there
are rogues who wear a gentleman’s dress and manners but are in reality worse
than dacoits and corrupt the entire society. They need to be handled as such. One
hopes that Basant Rath is allowed to straighten the roguish traffic and drill
some sense among the violators. Normally, such well-meaning people have a short
life span in their posts. One wishes, the “Rath Effect” which is the revival of
accountability is not only respected but carried into all the wings of the
administration especially those meant for peoples’ welfare.